U.S. MVPDs align on terminology for multiscreen TV advertising

Major U.S. MVPDs Announce Alignment on Key Terms for Multiscreen TV Advertising

NEW YORK — Today, a large group of major U.S. Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) including Comcast Advertising, Cox, DIRECTV Advertising, DISH Media, Optimum Media, Spectrum Reach, Verizon Fios as well as Ampersand and the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB), announced unified guidance on Multiscreen TV Advertising Terminology. The goal of the recommendation is to align the media industry around the various delivery types of TV advertising in all its forms, focusing on the terms “multiscreen TV,” “streaming,” and “traditional TV.”

According to new research from Advertiser Perceptions, only 20% of advertisers say terms are consistently used by their partners, and there is little consensus around the advertising vocabulary being used today.*

“As TV proliferates across screens, everyone agrees that we need to simplify the buying and selling experience,” said Jason Wiese, EVP, Strategic Insights & Measurement, VAB. “While some areas of complexity are more difficult to resolve than others, one relatively easy fix is to make sure everyone is speaking the same language. By partnering together across companies to define how we’re talking about multiscreen TV, we can clear up inconsistencies and confusion and bring greater clarity to our increasingly complex industry.”

The recommended terminology is based on research with Advertiser Perceptions, commonalities across current language being used, and coordination with the VAB. The new lexicon focuses on the various delivery types of TV advertising in all its forms. According to the guidance:

• When referring to video content delivered via an internet connection, use the term streaming.
• When referring to content delivered via wired cable, telco, satellite or over-the-air distribution (versus internet), use the term traditional TV.
  • Note: As MVPDs transition to IP-based infrastructures, some or all of the ads within a viewer’s “traditional TV” experience may be dynamically delivered.
• When referring to multiple TV/streaming endpoints, use the term multiscreen TV.

As a note, terms like “connected TV” may still be used when discussing a device, while “premium video” may still be used when referring to content that is delivered transparently in a trusted brand-safe environment, and seen by real people in a high-quality viewing experience (as defined previously by the VAB and Comcast Advertising.)

The guidance also notes that the commonly used term “linear TV” is not the same as “traditional TV;” this is because linear is a viewing style that can be applied to both traditional and streaming (in the case of FAST, which is watched on a linear, pre-determined schedule).

“The release of this lexicon is a unique opportunity for MVPDs to align at the most basic level—the words we use to talk about our advertising offerings,” said James Rooke, President, Comcast Advertising. “In many ways, MVPDs sit in the center of today’s multiscreen advertising opportunities, and the onus is on us to lead by example. We hope others will adopt the terms so we can all speak the same language and simplify on behalf of the industry.”

Aligning on language is particularly important to MVPDs as they are a key link in the changing TV ecosystem and often serve as industry advocates for new TV products, including addressable advertising.

Ampersand, Comcast Advertising, Cox, DIRECTV Advertising, DISH Media, Optimum Media, Spectrum Reach, Verizon Fios and the VAB are officially rolling out the new language starting today, which can be found here.

* Source: Advertiser Perceptions July 2024 Omnibus Study; 20% of advertisers “strongly agreed” that terms were used consistently.